City hopes new trash collection contract will make residents go green

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press
When the new trash pickup plan is implemented in Evansville, trash and recyclables — unlike those pictured on a city street in this picture — will be placed into two 96-gallon plastic bins. One will be delegated to all recyclables and the other will be for trash.

DENNY SIMMONS

EVANSVILLE - Fewer than half of Evansville residents haul recyclable items to the curbside, but officials hope a new trash and recycling collection contract helps to increase participation.

Homeowners on the city's service are currently being delivered two 96-gallon carts, one for trash and the other, equipped with a green lid, for recycling. Allied Waste/Republic Services Division Sales Manager Todd Chamberlain said he'd like to see recycling eclipse 70 percent here in the future.

Anthony and Patricia Suggs of Evansville, who already recycle everything they can from their home, said at Wednesday's Traveling City Hall program that a 96-gallon cart might not be enough for them. They asked Chamberlain and city officials what to do if their cart overflows.

"We recycle a lot, especially around the holidays," Suggs said.

Chamberlain replied that in the program's first year, residents will be able to put any overflow recyclables next to their cart, in another container. Eventually, though, Allied Waste/Republic Services wants residents to use the new carts only, and residents who want an additional cart either for trash or recycling will be able to buy one for $100.

A few residents, said Chamberlain, are the opposite of the Suggs family — they have no desire to recycle. He said those residents often have multiple children and ask if they can use both carts for trash only.

But Chamberlain is still optimistic local recycling will be on an uptick, because doing so will be easier.

Recyclable items can be co-mingled in the cart, They include glass, metal, cardboard, Nos. 1-7 plastics, and paper products including newspaper, magazines, inserts, phone books, catalogs, junk mail, envelopes including those with plastic windows, and office paper.

"As people try the program and see the benefits, I think we'll see an increase," Chamberlain said.

Wednesday's monthly Traveling City Hall program brought a small audience to St. James Missionary Baptist Church on South Elliott Street. Ed Ziemer, deputy director of the Evansville Water & Sewer Utility, showed the new trash and recycling bins and answered questions.

Ziemer said a key reason for the new collection method is to prevent animals from tearing apart trash bags residents place at the curb for pickup.

"The whole idea is to approve the appearance of neighborhoods and overall sanitation," Ziemer said.

Several residents have asked what to do with their old blue recycling containers, Ziemer said. Those may either be set out to be recycled or kept by the resident for storage purposes.

Those who want to recycle an old plastic trash container also may leave those at the curbside, Ziemer said, but he advised residents to tape a note on them asking crews to pick them up.